Bomb scare stops Greyhound bus on I-57

May 11, 2010

A Chicago-bound Greyhound bus carrying 50 passengers was stopped for about three hours today on Interstate Highway 57 in the far south suburbs due to a report of a bomb on the bus, according to Illinois State Police.

After an inspection, it was determined the bus was carrying no explosives and it eventually continued its trip to Chicago.

While traveling through the northbound lanes of I-57 outside Monee, a passenger -- who was considered a witness -- aboard the bus believed she heard a passenger make a reference to the word "bomb" while using a cell phone about 9:15 a.m., state police said. The cell phone user was speaking in a foreign dialect while conversing.

The witness called the state police to report the situation and the bus driver was told to stop in a weigh-scale facility on northbound I-57, state police said.

Shortly thereafter, state police arrived on the scene with the Cook County bomb squad and other investigators to search the inside and outside of the bus.

The witness, cell-phone caller and another passenger were interviewed by authorities and later released. The bus continued to Chicago about 12:15 p.m.